Curtain for refrigerator-car doors



Sept. 3, 1929. J c, CLAMP 1,726,887

CURTAIN FOR REFRIGERATOR CAR DOORS Filed Oct. 12, 1926 Inventor Attorney Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES JESSE C. CLAMP, OF HELENA, ARKANSAS.

CURTAIN FOR REFRIGERATOR-CAR DOORS.

Application filed. October 12, 1926. Serial No. 141,139.

This invention relates to a curtain construction for refrigerator car doors and has for its primary object to provide curtain mounted at the inner side of a refrigerator car door in such a manner that the same may be extended downwardly to entirely close the opening in the car body when the doors are swung open, said curtain being provided with a vertical slit in its center to permit the workmen to enter and leave the car during the loading or unloading of the same.

By reason of a device of this character, it will at once be appreciated that during the loading or unloading of refrigerator cars, the cold air will be limited in its escape while the warm air will be limited in its entrance resulting in the saving of ice and the maintenance of the proper temperature within the car body.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in both of the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary inner side elevation of one side wall of a refrigerator car over the interior of the door opening of which is disposed a curtain constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being shown as extended to completely close the door opening, and

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section through the car wall and curtain.

Now having particular reference to the drawing, 5 indicates one side wall of a refrigerator car that is provided with the usual door opening 6. In carrying out my invention I arrange at the top side of the door opening 6 at the interior of the car a horizontal bar 7 that is connected at its opposite end to depending rods 88 that extend downwardly at opposite sides of the door opening 6 and that are in turn connected at their lower ends to the car fioor as clearly indicated in both of the figures.

Directly beneath the bar 7 at opposite sides of the door opening I provide spring shade roller brackets 99 within the usual openings of which are arranged the usual pintles upon the end of a relatively elongated conventionally constructed spring shade roller 10. To this roller 10 there is attached one end of a strip of curtain fabric 11 preferably of heavy air impervious material, the lower edge of which is provided with a longitudinal pocket for receiving a rod 11, the oppos1te ends of which are provided with eyes 1212 to afford sliding connection between said rod 11 as well as the vertical rods 8-8.

The d1mensions of the curtain strip 11 are of course such as to completely cover the door opening 6 when said curtain is extended to the position disclosed in the figures, while said curtain is formed centrally with avertical slit 13 that extends from the lower edge thereof to a point adjacent the roller 10 when said curtain is extended to position over the door opening. This slit obviously permits the workmen to enter or leave the car body without necessitating the exposure of the interior of the car to the atmosphere during the unloading or loading of the car.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel, simple, and eflicient form of curtain for refrigerator car doors that is well adapted for all the purposes heretofore designated, and even though I have herein shown and described the invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements it is nevertheless to be understood that some changes may be made therein without affecting the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents is 1. In a closure for open refrigerator car doors, a curtain disposed upon the inner side of the door and adapted to completely close the same, said curtain being provided with a vertical slit to permit the workmen to enter or leave the car during the loading and unloading operation.

2. In a closure for open refrigerator car doors, a spring roller mounted at the inner side of the door opening at the upper edge thereof, a curtain strip secured at one end to said roller and adapted to be extended downwardly to completely cover the door opening, said curtain strip being provided with a central slit to permit the entrance or exit of workmen into or from the car.

3. In a closure for open refrigerator car doors, a spring roller mounted at the inner side of the door opening at the upper edge thereof, a curtain strip secured at one end to said roller and adapted to be extended downwardly to completely cover the door opening, said curtain strip being provided with a central slit to permit the entrance or exit of workmen into or from the car, and means at the opposite edges of the curtain cooperating with means carried by the lower end of the curtain for maintaining the same in snug engagement with the interior of the door opening.

4:. In a closure for open refrigerator car doors, a spring roller mounted at the inner side of the door opening at the upper edge thereof, a curtain strip secured at one end to, said roller and adapted to be extended downwardly to completely cover the door opening, said curtain strip being provided with a central slit to permit the entrance or exit of workmen into or from the car, means atthe opposite edges of the curtain cooperating with means carried by the lower end of the curtain for maintaining the same in snug engagement with the interior of the door opening, said means comprising vertical rods mounted at the sides of the door opening, and a rod at the lower end of the curtain strip having eyes at its opposite end for slidable engagement with said vertical rod.

5. In a closure for opened refrigerator car doors; of a closure for completely closing the same, said closure being formed of an air impervious fabric to prevent the egress of cold air and the ingress of warm air, said closure being provided with an elongated vertical slit forming a passage whereby a person may enter or leave the car.

6. In a closure for open refrigerator car doors a rolling curtain of air impervious material adapted to be supported at the top of the door opening, said curtain being provided with an entrance and exit forming slit-that extends from the lower free edge of thecentral portion of the curtain to a point adja cent the other end thereof, the curtain completely closing the door opening when it is in a lowered position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JESSE C. CLAMP. 

